Collapsible boxes or crates



Jan. 3, HADDAD COLLAPSIBLE BOXES OR CRATES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 4, 1952 v INVENTOR 9i m 0 11/ Had (Z (Li BY 1 W ATTORNEYS COLLAPSIBLE BOXES on CRATES Simon Haddad, Charleston, w. Va. Application August 4, 1952, Serial No. 302,511

1 Claim. (Cl. 229-41 This invention relates to collapsible boxes or crates.

An object of this invention is'to provide a collapsible box or crate which is designed to hold eggs or other material, wherein the walls of the crate are locked together in a manner whereby the walls may be unlocked or disconnected when the crate is to be stored or returned.

Another object of this invention is to provide a box or crate wherein the walls or panels are formed with an inner cardboard core which is embedded in an outer plastic covering.

A further object of this invention is to provide'a crate having an intermediate transverse partition with means to removably secure the partition in the crate, the partition having means engaging over the side walls of the crate for holding the latter against spreading.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in the arrangement, combination and details of construction disclosed in the drawings and specification, and then more particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

In the drawings- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a collapsible box or crate constructed according to an embodiment of this invention,

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, and illustrating a fragmentary portion of the cover for the crate shown in Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1, and illustrating a portion of a cover for the crate,

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure l,

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 1,

Figure 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 7-7 of Figure 1,

Figure 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 7.

Referring to the drawings, the numerals 10 and 11 designate generally a pair of upright side walls, and the numerals 12 and 13 designate a pair of end walls. A bottom wall 14 is secured, as will be hereinafter described, to the lower edges of the side walls 14 and a cover or closure 15 is adapted to be removably mounted on the upper end of the crate as will be hereinafter described.

The side walls 10 and 11 are of like construction and each is formed of an inner cardboard core 16 which has inner and outer coatings 17 and 18 secured thereto. The coatings 17 and 18 may be formed of plastic material or polythene.

The walls 10 and 11 at each end thereof are formed with vertically disposed enlarged thickness elements 19 having a vertical opening 20 therein, and a slot 21 com- United StatCS t -ffi municating with the opening 20, to form a keyway therethrough. The enlargement 19 is preferably formed from a plastic or other suitable materials and each end wall 12 and 13 is also formed of an inner caardboard panel, with inner and outer coverings similar to the core 16, and the coverings 17 and 18. V

The end walls 12 and 13 have disposed in the vertical edges thereof a reinforcing wire or rod 22 which forms a vertically disposed key adapted to engage in the keyway 20 so that the end walls 12 and 13 will securely hold the side walls 10 and 11 in spaced apart relation. The end walls 12 and 13 are formed at their lower edges with an enlargement 23 having a keyway 24 therein, and the bottom wall 14 is formed with a wire reinforced key 25 adapted to engage in the keyway 24. The ends 12 and 13 are formed with horizontal elongated hand holds 26, and the side walls 10 and 11 may be formed with one or more vent openings 27. r

A vertically disposed partition 28 is adapted to be removably disposed transversely between the side walls 10 and 11 and is formed with a flat body 29 having a cardboard core, with opposite covers similar to the core 16, and the covers 17 and 18. A reinforcing wire 30 is secured along the upper edge of the partition 29 and r the wire 30, with the plastic covering 31, extends outwardly and downwardly at a right angle to the upper edge of the partition forming a side wall retaining member 32, whereby the side Walls will be securely held between the vertical edge of the body 29 and the depending element or retainer 32.

In order that the upper edge of the partition 28 may be disposed substantially flush with the upper edges of the side walls 10 and 11, the latter are formed in their upper edges with notches 33. The cover 15 is formed with a fiat top wall 34, depending longitudinal flanges and depending end flanges 36. As is seen in the drawings, a pair of oppositely disposed openings 35A are formed in the opposed flanges 35 to permit the wire 30 with its plastic covering to project therethrough. The flanges 35 and 36 are adapted to telescope over the side and end walls so that the cover 15 will be firmly held in covering position relative to the top of the crate.

The cover 15 is formed with an inner cardboard ply or core 37 and inner and outer plastic or composition coatings 38 and 39 respectively. The partition 28 is securely locked relative to the side walls 10 and 11 and the bottom wall 14 by means of a pair of hooks 49 which are carried by eyes 41. The eyes 41 are secured to anchor plates 42 which are imbedded in the material forming the partition 28 and the hooks which extend downwardly when in operative position are adapted to engage eyes 43 which are carried by anchor plates 44 embedded in the bottom wall 14.

In the assembly of this box or crate, the bottom wall 14 may be initially inserted in the keepers 24 carried by the end walls 12 and 13, whereupon the side Walls 10 and 11 may be moved downwardly over the locking beads formed by the reinforcing wires 22. The partition 28 may be secured by hooking the hooks 4i) onto the eyes 43 with the retainers 32 extending over the outer sides of the side walls 10 and 11. In the collapsed position of the crate the side, end and bottom walls are separated with partition 28 removed, and the several walls may be laid flat on or within the top or covering 15 and the elements securely tied together. This crate will provide a relatively strong crate or box for use in shipping eggs or other material and the crate may be returned to the shipper or packer at a relatively small cost and may be stored in collapsed position in a relatively small space.

I do not mean to confine myself to the exact details Fatented Jan, 3, 1956 of construction herein disclosed, but claim all variations falling Within the purview of the appended claim.

What I claim is A collapsible crate comprising a pair of opposed side walls, a pair of opposed end Walls, a bottom wall, and a cover having a depending peripheral flange, said walls and flanged cover each being formed of a central sheet of cardboard having a plastic coating on opposite sides thereof, each of said side walls adjacent each of its respective ends being provided with an enlarged vertical column formed of said plastic and being integral with said plastic coating on each side of said sheet, each of said columns having a vertically extending lzeyway formed therein with each keyway of one of said side walls confronting a. keyway on the other of said side walls, each of said end walls having a substantially horizontal column formed of plastic material which is integrally connected with said plastic coating on opposite sides of each end wall and positioned adjacent the lower end thereof, each of said horizontal columns having a lteyway formed therein with the keyway of one of said horizontal columns confronting the keyway of the other of said columns,

said bottom wall having an enlarged key at opposite ends thereof engaged slidably within the keyways formed in said horizontal columns, said end Walls each having an enlarged key at each of its respective ends slidably engaged in said confronting keyways formed in said vertical columns, and said cover positioned over the open end of said crate with its said flange telescoping around said side and end walls.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 778,711 Rundle et a1. Dec. 27, 1904 1,116,250 Diers Nov. 3, 1914 1,159,229 Keith Nov. 2, 1915 1,464,391 Orban Aug. 7, 1923 1,932,772 Eschenbach Oct. 31, 1933 2,013,865 Sloan Sept. 10, 1935 2,118,565 Meade May '24, 1938 2,364,765 Zalkind Dec. 12, 1944 

